Belonging: Growing up between Two Worlds

Abstract As international research has shown, the emancipation and integration of the second generation represents the path to a successful multicultural society. Nevertheless, their socio-cultural, economic and political integration is not at all an easy process. As the literature attests, a sense of belonging to their society plays an important role in this integration process. For the first time, Italian- born youth of immigrant descent are becoming adults. This study tries to discover what roles a sense of belonging plays for these Italian-born youth and their process of identity-building. The source of qualitative data were 10 conversational interviews with 10 young adults with immigrant parents, aged between 18 to 22 years, born and raised in Italy. The inquiry paradigm used is ecological in nature, and phenomenology is the theoretical and methodological frame in which the data was analysed. The main research questions were: According to you, what is the meaning of the word ‘belonging’? What do you feel you belong to? Do you have any difficulties in your state of belonging? These young adults referred to themselves by saying “I am Italian and..”. Their words underlined the complexity of their identity: “I am Italian although I am not Italian”. Their sense of belonging is multifaceted with feelings of ambivalence. The Pakistani culture seems to have fostered stronger resistance to the development of a double belonging. The Italian citizenship law impedes their belongingness. In Italy, ethnic discrimination against visible minorities, significantly diverse in terms of nationality, narrowing labour market opportunities and the restrictive law about citizenship make the situation of these Italian-born youth more difficult. Society, politics and their family seem to refuse the changes that being a second generation immigrant represents. This is why they prefer not to recognize their double belonging.